myo

Think Chinese dining, and Cantonese cuisines like dim sum in a traditional Chinese-style environment immediately springs to mind. Myo Restobar, which specializes in Cantonese dishes, is hoping to change all that. With over 40 years of Kia Hiang’s heritage and legacy, the sister restaurant Myo Restobar began a little more than a month ago on the 19th floor at Oxley Tower, creating a cosmopolitan oasis in a stately office building.

Boasting a scenic view of the bustling Robinson Road, the contemporary setting doesn’t really scream conventional Chinese dining experience. Instead, the restaurant focuses on uplifting and modernizing the dining experience, while keeping the price affordable. Not an easy feat considering its prime locations and customers mostly comprised of mid-tier PMETs and expatriates. The dining area is spacious, intimate yet somewhat industrial-like, with an intricate clockwork piece that sets the mood.

If you’re here, Kia Hiang Claypot Organic Spring Chicken ($28) is definitely the must-try dish. Fun fact: Prominently featured in the menu, the juicy melt-in-the-mouth chicken, enveloped in sweet cabbage, is moist, sweet and rich in flavour due to the syrupy herbal broth. Fun fact: the premium organic chickens are reared in a comfortable living environment, listening to classic music! This enhances the flavours of the meat while cutting down on its fat and cholesterol content.

Next up is the Angus Tenderloin Cubes with Garlic and Broccoli (from $18 onwards). With each cube of meat coated with strong wok-hei flavour, the beef itself is lightly-marinated and succulent, and we would want more of it!

A rare beauty in itself, The Gold Foil Dumplings with Assorted Mushroom ($4.80 for 3 pieces) is as aesthetically and gastronomically pleasing to the eye and stomach. I love the natural sweetness of finely-chopped wild mushrooms and its luscious almost transparent skin. Another noteworthy dish is the Steamed Siu Mai with Conpoy and Black Truffle ($5.20 for 3 pieces). While its appearance may not look as dazzling as the Gold Foil Dumplings, they are heavenly yummy.

If these exquisite fungi dishes are not exactly your thing, you should try their Healthy Walnut Buns. My friend’s favourite due to its layered texture and the generous chunks of walnuts to give that crunch, the simplicity of this dish speaks for itself.

Coming to dessert. While I would personally prefer biting into the raw fruit itself, the Durian Mochi nevertheless gives a sassy coat to a local’s delicacy. The burst of the mellow taste of durian when you bite into the skin is quite satisfying in itself.